1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is generally related to butchering apparatus and, more particularly, is directed towards an apparatus for splitting a carcass vertically while the carcass is held stationary.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The prior art illustrates several different machines and techniques for splitting carcasses. For example, my own prior U.S. Pat. No. 2,904,826 sets forth a frame-mounted carcass splitting saw blade in which the carcass is moved upwardly relative to the stationary saw blade. The saw blade is disposed about a triangular pulley and motor arrangement, and is therefore limited to cutting a single carcass at a time.
My later U.S. Pat. No. 3,790,989 discloses a carcass splitting machine in which a band saw is disposed at a 45.degree. angle to the direction of travel of the carcass along overhead rails. While this apparatus is also limited to cutting a single carcass at a time, it is nevertheless valuable for its teaching of a carcass splitting machine which may be adapted to and made part of mass production techniques.
Other U.S. patents in this general art area of which I am aware include: Nos. 701,345; 2,711,196; 3,523,327; and 3,995,350. The first-named patent to Hughes (701,345) teaches a non-reciprocating knife which is movable vertically through a single carcass; Daniel (2,711,196) teaches a slotted guide 44 through which band 16 passes; O'Neilly (3,523,327) teaches a vertically movable saw for splitting a carcass which, however, requires an operator for manually controlling same; while Ekstam (3,995,350) generally sets forth an apparatus for splitting carcasses in which the slaughtered carcasses arrive on an overhead suspension track and are suspended vertically prior to passage through the apparatus.
While each of the above-identified references set forth a machine which may have its own unique advantages, none of the foregoing references teaches or suggests a fully automatic dual-carcass splitting machine which may be readily incorporated into a mass production slaughterhouse, in the manner to be described in more detail hereinafter.